Method of and means for producing musical note relationships

Abstract

In a method of and means for producing musical note relationships there is provided an array of staggered lines or rows or columns of symbols, in which each symbol represents a musical note. Each line may comprise a repeated series of twelve symbols forming a musical series of semitones known as a chromatic scale, and each line is staggered with respect to adjacent lines such that groups of the symbols which represent the same musical note relationship, such as intervals, scales, chords, etc., form the same visual configuration, for example diagonal configurations or vertical configurations at respective locations in the array. The array may comprise a keyboard including a plurality of keys each representative of a particular musical note. Each line may comprise generally vertical columns of keys in which any given key in a given column and the key immediately above it in that column produce an interval of a fifth, whilst the two keys on either side of the given column which lie between the given key and the key immediately above it form intervals of a minor third and a major third respectively with the given key. The keyboard may be incorporated in a keyboard device including means for successively scanning each of the keys and for generating first signals indicative of the state of play of each key, and microprocessor means for receiving and correlating the first signals and for generating second signals indicative of musical sequences represented by the states of play of the keys. The device may also include output means for conveying the second signals to sound generating means to produce sound indicative of the musical sequences.